Jack-controlled system for multiple connections



March 1l, 1969 P. TARDIEU 3,432,797

JACK-CONTROLLED SYSTEM FOR MULTIPLE CONNECTIONS Filed Feb. 2o, 1967 11i? v J' 'EfEmK/l ,L

[/ll A /7 w- United States Patent O Us. cl. 339-18 4 claims Inf. cl. Hoz 1/04 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Background of the invention Said arrangement, applicable in all fields of electrical connections, includes a plate or a number of superposed plates each constituted by juxtaposed -readily disconnectable elements provided each with a central bore in which is inserted a jack ensuring the desired connection between contact-pieces suitably carried by transverse strips engaging grooves provided in the transverse surfaces of the elements and merging tangentially with the peripheries of the bores where predetermined contact-pieces can thus engage the corresponding jacks.

The main object of the invention consists in:

Producing a large variety of combinati-ons of contactpieces in particular through superposition of several layers of contact-pieces interconnected through the agency of jacks adapted to engage the contact-pieces in the different layers.

Producing large sized arrangements which are however suiliciently rigid per se so as to resist shocks and vibrations.

Reducing the bulk of the arrangement.

Obtaining a high reliability by reason of the impossibility of any fortuitous short-circuit arising `between the different leads.

Obtaining a conditions. l

Allowing the execution of the arrangement in an `adaptable and economical manner.

good resistance with reference to weather Summary Brief description of the drawings' The accompanying drawings illustrate by way of example and in a non-limiting sense a preferred embodiment of my invention. In said drawings:

FIG. l is a perspective view ment.

FIG. 2 illustrates a plate constituted by a series of juxtaposeed carrier elements of the type illustrated in FIG. 1.

of a single carrier ele- 3,432,791 Patented Mar. ll, 196

FIG. 3 is a perspective View of a strip carrying a mu4 tiplicity of contact-pieces.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a strip carrying a singl contact-piece.

FIG. 5 is an elevational view of a contact-making jacl the medial portion of which is torn off.

FIG. 6 is a partial cross-section of an arrangement ac cording to my invention in a horizontal plane.

Description of the preferred embodiment The arrangement illustrated includes a plate generally designed by the reference number 1. This plate is of an electrically insulating material such as a plastic material.

Indentations for initiating a breaking or cutting of the plate into elements 2 are provided in planes I and II, so as to allow readily producing a plate assuming the desired outline for a predetermined application.

In the particular case considered, each element 2 formin the shape of a parallelopipedon as shown in dot-and-dash lines in FIG. 1, of which parallelopiped on the vertical corner ridges are cut ot along planes at 45 with reference to the adjacent surfaces of said parallelopipedon. Each element 2 is provided with a cylindrical axial vertical bore 3. Two gooves 4 and 5 are formed in parallelism along the upper surface of the plate 1 to each side of the aligned bores 3 in elements of a row of elements (FIG. 2). Said slots or grooves open tangentially into said bores and merge into the peripheries of the latter. Two similar series of grooves 6 and 7 may be provided on the lower surface of the plate facing away from the upper surface. These two series of grooves may thus carry contact-pieces at two dilerent levels. The series of grooves in the lower surface of the plate 1 may in fact be either parallel with the grooves 4 and 5 in the upper surface as illustrated, or else perpendicular thereto, as shown at 61 and 71 in dot-anddash lines in FIG. l.

It is apparent that the truncated ridges of adjacent element 2 form openings 8 of a square cross-section through which it is possible to engage various electric connections. However it is possible to provide furthermore, as illustrated in FIG. l vertical passageways 9, 10, 11 and 12 for the same purpose, said passageways extending through the actual elements 2 (FIG. l). In each groove 4, 5, 6 and 7 is inserted a strip such as 13 carrying a multiplicity of contact-pieces in which are cut out and stamped in accordance with the shape of the elements 1 is a number of elastic contact-pieces 14. Strips 15 carrying each a single contact-piece may also be fitted in the grooves of a number of elements. The strips carrying one or more contactpieces illustrated at 13 or 15 are inserted in a manner such that the contact-pieces 14 carried by the cooperating strips may face each other across the corresponding bores 3.

In order to form an arrangement providing a multiplyclty of connections, it is possible to resort either t0 a plate 1 provided with parallel grooves 4, l5 and 6, 7, or else with orthogonal grooves, 4, 5, 61, 7l on the opposite surfaces thereof or else to a multiplicity of such Superposed plates the bores 3 in which are in prefect alignment.

In each groove 4, 5, 6, 7, 61, 71 there is inserted a strip carrying one or more contact-pieces corresponding to the execution of a predetermined programme. In order to ensure a predetermined 4association between the contact-pieces on the strips, jacks such as that illustrated at 16 in FIG. 5 are inserted .in the different bores 3 according to a predetermined schedule. The outer surfaces of the jacks are entirely or partly insulating or conductive and they .may include coaxial contact-pieces 4and possibly incorporate an electronic component such as a diode or the like.

Said jacks establish thus connections in accordance Jith the predetermined program between the single or nultiple contact-pieces carried by the strips fitted in the lifferent superposed plates. The jacks may even provide .eparate connections for the two contact-pieces of each )air of contact-pieces engaging a jack at each level. It s sufcient for this purpose to make the jack itself carry he difeernt circuits required for differentiating the different connections passing through said contact-pieces.

Of course, the plates forming my improved arrangement are held fast together by a frame surrounding their peripheries and carrying the input and output terminals; suitable perforated covers are adapted to allow the jacks to pass through their perforations as required in accordance with a predetermined programme, said covers extending over the outer surface of the outermost plates.

The main advantages of my invention are ascribable to its compact character and to the impossibility of any fortuitous contacting being obtained through a bending of the superposed plates.

What I claim is:

1. A multiple connection system comprising at least one plate constituted by a number of juxtaposed electrically insulating elements provided each with a central bore and with parallel grooves extending over each transverse surface of the element and merging tangentially into the peripheries of said bores, contact-making jacks adapted to be inserted in said bores and strips adapted to be inserted in the different grooves and including spaced elastic contact-pieces adapted to face the jacks in corresponding bores to be connected by `said jacks in accordance with a predetermined wiring diagram, said plates being furthe-rmore provided with passages for electric leads.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, comprising a multiplicity of superposed plates the 4bores in the corresponding elements of which are alined.

3. A system as claimed in claim' 1, wherein the jacks are adapted to selectively interconnect the corresponding contact-pieces in the bores engaged by said jacks.

4. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the jacks carry independent contact-pieces adapted to engage the strip contact-pieces lying in the same bores as the jacks.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 233,081 10/1880 Dowd 317-112 3,151,923 10/1964 Bell et al. 3,223,957 12/1965 Cannon. 3,299,393 1/1967 Kelley et al 339-18 MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner. PATRICK A. CLIFFORD, Assistant Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 

